What is heart failure?

How do you get it?

Heart failure is a condition that develops when the heart's muscle either becomes weakened or too stiff. This can be caused by a heart attack, high blood pressure, infections of the heart muscle, problems with the valves of the heart, certain medications or drinking too much alcohol for an extended period of time. Sometimes the exact cause cannot be determined.

Those at risk are people who have had (or do have) one or more of the following conditions:

What can be done about it?

Contact your health care provider if your weight changes by more than two to three pounds in one day.

Take your medications.

Exercise at levels recommended by your physician.

Be an active participant in the management of your health!

Learning about heart failure will help you feel more in control of your life and may help you to avoid trips to urgent care and the emergency room. We welcome your input as to what topics you would like to have covered in our monthly meetings.